The Lord Lieutenant of Devon, David Fursdon, and the Chairman of Devon County Council, Cllr Ian Hall, have released statements this evening, (Thursday 8 September), speaking of their sadness following the announcement that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, died earlier today.
In a video statement, the Chairman of Devon County Council, Cllr Ian Hall, said:
“It is with great sadness that we hear of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“On behalf of the people of the County of Devon, I convey that sadness and send our deepest sympathies to the Royal Family.
“Her Majesty the Queen visited Devon on many occasions since meeting for the first time Prince Philip at the Royal Naval College in Devon.
“She and the Duke of Edinburgh returned on numerous occasions to our county, which they were both always fond of.
“As our monarch, she has dedicated her life to her country in all that she has done, and with unwavering support to all our armed forces.
“With commitment and energy and even into her later years and as a mother, grandmother, wife and matriarch, she has shown no less a commitment to her family.
“Her family and the country will miss her greatly.
“She will, however, continue to be an example to us all.”
You can listen to the Chairman’s message on our You Tube account.
The Lord-Lieutenant of Devon, the Queen’s representative in the county, David Fursdon, has also issued a public statement.
“It is with great sadness that we have heard of the death of Her Majesty, The Queen.
“This brings to an end the incredible reign of someone who will surely go down in history as one of our greatest monarchs.
“Very many of us have known no one else on the throne, throughout that long period. She has been a rock standing steadfast among the swirling currents of our times, and she will be very sorely missed.
“We know that as a young princess, it was in Devon at the Britannia Royal Naval College that she met the man who was to become her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. So she had a special fondness for the county from that time onwards.
“She was always passionate about our military forces and so looked with pride on the serving personnel based in our county.
“She was, for example, Patron of the Royal Marines Association, which represents Royal Marines who have retired. She also came to the Cadet 150 at Wyvern Barracks in Exeter in 2010.
“She opened part of the post-war development in Exeter in 1949 as Princess Elizabeth, lending her name to it subsequently, Princess Hay.
“She visited Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay, and these were regular visits carried out throughout her reign.
“But of course she came to Devon in all her Jubilee tours on the Silver Jubilee the Golden Jubilee and the Diamond Jubilee.
“Overall then, she probably visited us every three or four years throughout her long reign.
“I was lucky enough to host her when she visited the Devonport Dockyard for the decommissioning of her ship, HMS Ocean, in 2018, and I witnessed then the love and support of the public on that day.
“I’ve also had the honour of presenting the medal that bears her name, the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises the families of those who have been lost in conflict.
“She declared after the death of her father that her whole life, whether it be short or long, would be devoted to the service of us all.
“She certainly carried out that promise, and we remember her today with love and thanks for all that she has done for us.”
You can listen to the Lord Lieutenant for Devon’s message on our You Tube account.
As we mourn, arrangements are being made across the county, including a national book of condolence online, as well as individual books of condolence at locations across Devon, including one at County Hall, Exeter.